The final of Strictly Come Dancing is fast approaching with Mark Wright, Caroline Flack, Simon Webbe and Frankie Bridge all hotstepping their way to hopefully winning the glitterball tomorrow night (December 20).

And as we all know it's the show dance - when anything goes - which will make or break the few remaining couples.

We can't wait.

But to tide us over until then, here are some of the most memorable showdances from the long-running series.

Colin Jackson and Erin Boag - 2005

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A most controversial showdance, later known as "Muppetgate" - Erin and Colin danced with life size puppets meant to showcase the Olympic hurdler's exquisite dance skills.

Craig Revel-Horwood, however, commended the pair for their inventiveness.

Jill Halfpenny and Darren Bennett – 2004

Jill Halfpenny and Darren Bennett

Series two was a simpler time in the Strictly world, and that shows in champions Jill and Darren’s showdance to the Frankie Valli classic Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.

There are no props or costume changes, and only two lifts.

But the stripped-down performance (and no I don’t mean the clothes) is wonderful in its simple celebration of the many forms of Latin dance.

Jill, who appeared on EastEnders at the time and is now enjoying a career on the West End, might always be remembered for her amazing Jive, which at 40 points is still the highest scoring in Strictly history, but she shows just as much ease in this showdance.

Jason Donovan and Kristina Rihanoff – 2011

Jason and Kristina

Jason Donovan was right at home for his and Kristina’s showdance, an energetic quickstep to Barry Manilow’s Dancin’ Fool.

The Broadway-flavoured dance features plenty of lifts, not to mention three costume changes (well, Kristina loses her dress and Jason loses his...tie).

The rapid-paced performance left Jason crawling to the judges table at the end, but when he got there he received heaping praise.

Bruno Tonioli dubbed it a “showbiz extravaganza” and said (or more like screamed) that the couple “could open on Broadway tomorrow!”

In a rare moment, judge Craig Revel Horwood complimented the couple without an ounce of criticism, saying it was "ferocious and full-on, I don’t know how you did that, it was a-mazing".

But perhaps Len Goodman summed it up best when he told Jason: "You’re a showman, this is a showdance. It was a perfect combination.”

The Series 9 performance became the first showdance in history to receive a perfect 40 score.

Louis Smith and Flavia Cacace – 2012

Louis Smith

In the intro video before their showdance to Take That’s Rule The World, Louis Smith said he wanted to showcase “the other side of gymnastics, which is strength and beauty".

The eventual Series 10 winner did just that with Flavia’s beautifully sensual rumba, which starts with the Olympic medalist doing a handstand on a statue of a globe, his muscles bulging... sorry, what were we talking about?

The dance earned the pair’s best score, a perfect 40, and justified Louis’ late surge near the top of the leaderboard.

The performance was an especially big hit with judge Darcey Bussell, who told Flavia: "That’s brave to do a dance that’s seamless and cool and calm for a showdance. I loved the feel of the contemporary art to it as well, it was really special. Very different from what I’ve seen in a showdance and I really liked it.”

Natalie Gumede and Artem Chigvinstev – 2013

Natalie and Artem

Natalie and Artem dubbed their showdance, to the jazz standard Stepping Out With My Baby, their “greatest hits", and when Natalie said in her intro video that the pair were “chucking everything in there” she wasn’t lying.

The jam-packed number featured ballroom, latin, and tap, and, as if that wasn’t enough, there was even pole dancing.

The Coronation Street actress, an early favorite and the eventual runner-up for Series 11, easily wowed her way into a perfect score with the judges.

Darcy said: “I usually don’t like when you use a structure to enhance a dance effect but this time it was perfect, it was a classy dance.”

Who expected to hear that for a dance that includes a pole?

Len said the performance was an “eye-popping, jaw-dropping, show-shopping, showdance of a number” and Craig dramatically called it “the showdance to end all showdances".

And yet, there’s one that I think deserves the top spot...

Denise Van Outen and James Jordan –2012

Denise and James

Five – that is the number of times James Jordan lifts Denise Van Outen in less than two minutes during their showman performance.

He spins her over his head, and even throws her over his neck, twirling her around with no arms. In their matching slick black pantsuits Denise and James turn the classic hit from Flashdance into a soundtrack for their disco-ballroom-tango sprint.

By the time the performance was over there was a standing ovation and just a minute of cheering before the judges were finally able to start fighting over who could come up with the most creative compliments.

Len Goodman said: "If that dance was a game of poker you just went all in. All the chips on the table, all or nothing.”

Bruno joked (shouted): "What a feeling? What a dance! You pulled it off in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen before, except in professional exhibition dances. That was absolutely perfect, that was epic.”